On Approval (Blu-ray)

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All Rise...

Judge Clark Douglas wholeheartedly approves of this daffy British delight.

The Charge

"She's not crying because I said she was forty-one. She's crying because
she is forty-one."

The Case

When cinema began making the transition from silent movies to talkies, many
actors got lost in the shuffle. Some just didn't have good speaking voices, some
didn't quite have the tools necessary to make the adjustment and some were
simply regarded as old news. One of the exceptions was British actor Clive
Brook, who became a big star during the early 1920s (appearing in adaptations of
Vanity Fair and A Tale of Two Cities, among other
efforts) and retaining his stardom as he moved into the '30s (he played Sherlock
Holmes on three separate occasions during the decade, and famously co-starred
with silent movie legend Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express). In the mid-1940s,
Brook decided to move behind the camera for a change: he directed, adapted and
starred in Frederick Lonsdale's play On Approval. It would be the last
film Brook would appear in for many years (he would return to play a supporting
role in The List of Adrian Messenger in 1963), and the only film he would
ever write or direct. That's our loss, as On Approval is a brilliant
comedy loaded with surprising, wickedly entertaining moments.

Brook plays George, the 10th Duke of Bristol. At a glance, he looks
remarkably wealthy (a notion that seems to be supported by his lavish home, his
fancy wardrobe and his haughty demeanor), but in fact he's just about broke.
George's best friend is Richard (Roland Culver, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp),
a shy and sweet-natured man in a similarly problematic financial state. Richard
is madly in love with the widowed Maria (Beatrice Lillie, Thoroughly Modern
Millie), but can't bring himself to propose to her due to the fact that she
is considerably wealthier than he is. Maria is best friends with Helen (Googie
Withers, The Lady Vanishes), a
well-to-do American who harbors a crush on George. Through a series of
convoluted events, these four individuals find themselves staying at a Scottish
estate while attempting to navigate their way through a series of increasingly
complicated romantic entanglements.

Brook wasn't originally attached to write or direct the film, but chose to
take the reins due to creative differences with the original helmer (who wanted
to emphasize the drama of the tale rather than the comedy). While Lonsdale's
play was set in the 1920s, Brook smartly chose to move the action to the
Victorian era to give the whole thing an extra jolt of naughtiness. There's a
good deal of Hays Code-friendly innuendo littered throughout the flick, and the
repressed era in which the film takes place goes a long way towards accentuating
the humor. That's not the only area where Brook takes some creative liberties.
The opening reel of the film is a cavalcade of fourth wall-breaking delights, as
a valiant narrator struggles to land upon the right way to open the movie. The
first thing we see is footage of tanks on a battlefield. "Oh no, not
another war picture," the narrator sighs. "Let's take a look at
peaceful life before the war," he suggests, and the film quickly responds
by offering footage of a noisy automobile race. That sense of silly playfulness
continues through the rest of the film (perhaps reaching its peak during a
surprisingly freaky dream sequence near the film's conclusion), and it's easy to
see why director Linsay Anderson labeled the film, "the funniest British
light comedy ever made."

On Approval is very much a performance-driven film, and each of the
central players bring something unique to the table. Brook's dry, understated
delivery and acidic wit work quite well for the self-absorbed Duke; watching
this performance has made me eager to check out more of his work. Beatrice
Lillie generates a lot of laughs as the uptight Maria, and is particularly sharp
when she's engaging in verbal duels with George. Roland Culver's sad-sack turn
as Richard is consistently amusing; it's a delight to watch his eyes light up
when he discovers that there might be a chance of indulging in a bit of
naughtiness with the woman of his dreams. Googie Withers is perhaps the closest
thing the film has to a "straight man," bringing fewer comedic tics to
her performance than the other players, but she's effective enough.

On Approval (Blu-ray) has received a strong 1080p/Full Frame
transfer. Though most of the film takes place on the aforementioned Scottish
estate, it very rarely feels like a stage adaptation thanks to Brook's lavish
direction. There are faint scratches and flecks here and there, but detail is
generally exceptional and depth is impressive. It's a sharp-looking transfer for
a sharp-looking flick. The PCM 2.0 Mono track is crisp, clean and sharp
throughout. The original score sounds consistently robust and the balance is
always satisfying. Supplements include an audio commentary with Jeffrey Vance,
an interview with Googie Withers, a stills gallery and a booklet featuring an
essay by Scott Eyman.

I hadn't heard much of anything about On Approval before checking out
this Blu-ray disc, but was absolutely delighted to discover a fresh, funny movie
that deserves to be rediscovered.